Improvement in tubings for oil-wells



l. MULUNEY.

Tubing for Oil-Wells.A

Patented September 16, 187.3.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICEo JOlzIN MOLONEY, OF OIL CITY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH HIS RIGHT TO PATRICK SAXTON AND JOHN C. VVELGH, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENTYIN TUBINGS FOR OIL-WELLS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 142,861, lated September 16,1873; application filed February 1, 1873. y

To all whom t may concern: l

Be it known that ILJoHN MoLoNEY, of Oil City, in the county of Venango and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Tubing for Oil-Wells, of which the following is a specification:

My invention consists in applying a yielding support or step to the lower` end of the tubing of oil-wells, for the purposes of relieving the tubing from strain, preventing its vibration,

weight of the tubing sustained by the collar' at the top. To this arrangement there are serious objections, among which are, that the immense weight and strain upon the collar and the upper portion of the tubing cause frequent breakage and separation of the tubing; that the pipe, being free at the lower end, keeps up a constant vibratory or tremulous motion, which tends to'loosen the joints; and that when the pipe separates it falls upon the solid bottom of the well and wedges fast therein. u

To overcome these difficulties is the object of my invention, and I accomplish the desired end by simply applying a spring-support to the lower end of the tubing to sustain a portion of the weight. u

In the drawing, A represents the ordinary tubing of a well, provided at its upper end with a collar or ange, c, and suspended thereby freely within the well in the usual manner. B represents a short outside pipe,

' secured, as usual, in the top of the well around the tubing, for the purposes of formin g a bearing for the collar a, and of retaining the gas 1 which ascends around the tubing. C repre- Y sents my spring step or support, consisting of a, tube or barrel, b, containing aispiral spring, c, and a piston, d, which bears upon' and is supported by the spring. The upper end of the barrel b is provided with a stuffing-box, c, around the piston, and is made tight at all other points, so as to exclude oil, water, Snc., from 'the interior. The upper end of the piston d is provided with a screw neck or socket, by which to connect it to the tubing, and the lower end ofthe barrel b is also provided with a screw-neck, g, by which to attach supporting rods or pipes when necessary, as hereinafter described.

In using my support, its piston d is connected to the lower end of the .well-tubing,'or to the pump-barrel D, when the latter is attached to the foot of the tubing, asin the drawing, and then the tubing is lowered in the well until the support bears upon the bottom,

and the piston and spring receive any desired proportion of the weight of the tubing. In cases where the tubing terminates at a considerable distance above the bottom of the well, my support may be upheld by attaching to its lower end extra tubing of suicient lengthl to bear upon the well-bottom; or thc extra tubingmay be connected to the lower end of the pump, and my support applied at the lower end of the extra tubing at the bottom of. the well.' As my support closes the end of the tubing or pump,\it is necessary to employ a pump which has its body provided with inlet-openings in the sides, as shown.

The pump is applied in the ordinary manner to the tubing, at any desired point above the piston ofA my support.

The parts may be arranged so that the spring will sustain any desired portion of thc weight; but care must be taken to leave suficient weight on the collar to keep a gas-tight joint between it and its seat. By the use of my support the collar and the upper portion of the pipe are relieved from a great portion of the usual weight and strain, so that there is but little danger of the collar giving way, or of the pipe breaking or separating at the joints. The support, by holding the lower end\ of the tubing, prevents the same from swinging, and thereby prevents the tremulous motion ordinarily felt the entire length of the tubing, and which is one of the main causes of separation at the joints. When, howcver,the pipe does separate, or from any other cause fal1s,its descent is checked by my spring-support without any shock or jar, so that it is prevented from telescopin g, doublin gmp, or Wedging fast in the well. Thus, it will be seen, I obviate the three great difficulties attending the operation of oil-Wells on the present plan.

My' device is cheap, simple, and durable; is applicable in existing Wells without' changing the well or tubing; and is in no way injurious or detrimental to the Well, tubing, or pump.

It is obvious thatthe construction of the support may be varied, and that any vother suitable form of spring may be used.

:I claim is- 1. In combination with the tubing of an oil or other like we1l,'a yielding support, C, constructed and arranged substantially as shown and described.

2. The support C for WeILtubing, consisting of the body or barrel b, spring c, and piston d, when constructed substantially as shown and described.

JOHN MOLONEY. Witnesses: y,

J. MGKENNEY, Pn 1L. T. DODGE.

Having thus described my invention, what 

